Buying local has become a way of life for many consumers. It’s a growing trend that has only just begun to permeate communities across the country, yet it has already delivered big success for local businesses. If you haven’t already been convinced, here’s a look at why you should be more vocal about buying local.

You’ve succeeded in getting a social media strategy in place, you’re sharing amazing, relevant content – and then WHAM! Someone posts a negative comment, and you feel like all of the wind has been let out of your sails.

What are your plans for growing your business in the new year? When we posed this question in the past, you told us that you wanted to do things like expand your market reach, focus on getting more repeat customers, or introduce new products and services.

Today’s consumers are more mobile-dependent than ever before. In fact, according to Pew Internet, 91 percent of American adults own a cell phone, 56 percent own a smartphone and 35 percent of Americans over the age of 16 own a tablet.